Pardon my ignorance but I'm learning a lot here, if I wanted to no go with the supercharger (making my engine last a long time is important) can I get a noticable horsepower passing/accelerating boost with other means like mufflers, air intakes and Y pipes? What exactly is a Y pipe, what does it do and why is it going to make my car faster? What about transmissions? Who knows about a company called LevelTen?

Does anyone know where to get aftermarket products installed properly in the Pittsburgh area? I'm gearing up for the Eibach lowering springs, Tokiko shocks, Stillen strut bars and rear sway bar. Who installs this stuff right? Nissan dealers? How much does it cost usually?

97 i30
http://www.agent0040oz.com

 

Yeah if you go Intake, Ypipe, Cat, Exhaust, ECU you'll gain substantial horsepower. When my car was stock and I floored it in first gear I'd keep traction. Now when I floor it I start spinning at about 3000 RPM. Not to mention my car sounds cool!

 

hey brian!!
i noticed you have a crossfire BMF woofer, how does it sound in your car?? what sort of inclosure do you have for it?? DB?
thanx!

 

Well, if you have the money, do what you like. I'm a student and know how to be frugal. The intake is a good place to start, you get improvements all around. You save money on replacements since you just reuse the aftermarket after cleaning, you get better air flow, more power, and a bit more mileage. The exhaust products like the y-pipe have restrictors that limit the flow of the gases that need to exit your exhaust system. Not everything is a pure gain though. The Aftermarket Y-pipe removes the pre-cats (things that help remove emissions when the car is not warmed up) and offers a smoother and larger volume for the gas to flow. This yields big power on the mid-high end rpm. On the low end, expect a low improvement, in fact you may even loss power due to a loss in back pressure. Connecting to the y-pipe is the Cat (catalytic converter) that converts carbon monoxide and oxygen to carbon dioxide with the aid of platinum. The aftermarket (RT cat) improves the flow and increases the power throughout the range of your rpm. Next is the B-pipe(intermediate or mid-pipe), this piece is supposed to be a pretty restricting piece and replacement gives a nice gain. Finally you have the muffler that is not all that restrictive.
I have a 5-speed and decided if I need to go faster, it'll take more skill on my part. Some people replace the clutch although some people are having problems with that. As for the suspension, I'd advice a generic strut bar and an addco sway bar. The install is easier and the parts will save you $200, easy. These bars are easy enough to install yourself in less than two hours. As for the other components, Eibachs and Tokicos are not a pleasing match. People with H&R's seem to be happier. Evidently the tokicos don't hold up with the Eibachs. I'd advise you go with the H&R's ($212 shipped from autobahn motorsports). I'd also have the struts and springs installed professionally since they have lifetime warranties.